The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has approved the Moroccan athlete’s qualification for the Paris Olympics after Korean taekwondo athlete Mi Reu Kang disputed her eligibility.

Rabat – Moroccan taekwondo prodigy Oumaima El Bouchti clinched her ticket to the upcoming Paris Olympics, scheduled to be held from July 16 to August 11.

Competing in the -49kg weight division, El Bouchti earned the second qualification position based on the latest global rankings following the withdrawal of her category from Olympic qualifications in the Oceania region.

The World Taekwondo Federation’s decision to validate El Bouchti’s qualification was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) following a challenge by Korean taekwondo athlete Mi Reu Kang, who had disputed the Moroccan’s eligibility despite being ranked ninth in the world.

Driss El Hilali, President of the Royal Moroccan Taekwondo Federation, stressed that El Bouchti’s qualification, along with that of her compatriot Fatima Zahra Abou Fares, was confirmed after thorough verification of all required documentation.

This validation process was not without controversy, as the Korean delegation disputed El Bouchti’s right to qualify after a change in weight category.

Oumaima El Bouchiti changed her weight category after the closure of the Olympic qualification list, where she held the eighth global rank, surpassing her Korean counterpart, El Hilali said in an interview with MAP, Morocco’s official press agency.

El Bouchti has amassed an impressive array of accolades in recent years, including silver medals from both the African Games and the Islamic Solidarity Games.

She is also a two-time gold medalist at the African Taekwondo Championships.

At the 2021 African Taekwondo Championships in Dakar, Senegal, El Bouchti clinched the gold medal in the women’s 49 kg category.

Subsequently, she competed in the same weight category at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, where she lost her first match to South Korea’s Sim Jae-young.

In another good news for the Moroccan taekwondo scene, Fatima Zahra Abou Fares secured her ticket to the 2024 Paris Taekwondo Olympics, following her victory in the final of the Olympic qualifying tournament held in Senegal. She defeated Guinea’s Ayong Veronica by two rounds to zero (2-0) in the over 67 kg category.

Headline: France Coach Didier Deschamps Steers Clear of Political Storm Ahead of Euro Semifinal

In a rare moment of respite, Didier Deschamps addressed the media with ease as his France team gears up to face Spain in the Euro semifinals. Despite players openly criticizing the far-right movement, Deschamps expertly navigated questions about the team’s performance and upcoming match. The coach found himself relieved to discuss topics like Kylian Mbappé’s fitness rather than fielding potentially contentious inquiries about politics.

Several members of the French squad, including Marcus Thuram, Jules Koundé, and Ibrahima Konaté, have spoken out against the rise of the far right in France. Thuram emphasized the need to combat the threat, while Koundé and Konaté urged unity and rejection of division. However, Deschamps was spared these politically charged discussions as the media focused on more football-related matters ahead of the crucial semifinal clash against Spain.

The only instance of tension arose when a Swedish journalist questioned Deschamps about France’s lack of goals from open play, hinting that the team might be considered as somewhat dull. Despite reaching the semifinals without such goals, Deschamps remained composed and unruffled, demonstrating his adeptness in handling even the trickiest of inquiries.

As France navigates through a high-stakes soccer tournament and a politically charged environment, Deschamps continues to show his leadership abilities both on and off the field. With the spotlight intensifying on the team, the coach’s ability to strike a delicate balance between sport and politics remains a crucial aspect of France’s journey in the European Championship.

Prince Harry’s Reaction to Pat Tillman Award Backlash is Revealed | FOX Sports Radio

Harry’s legacy on Invictus, the things he has achieved, that’s his real passion, the source said, claiming the scrutiny was a bitter pill to swallow for Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, both of whom have received criticism following their decision to step away from their royal duties.

This is the space in which he truly feels at home, it is something he deeply cares about. The reaction certainly took the shine off the award, the source said.

The Pat Tillman Award, which was created in 2014, is given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman, according to ESPN. Prince Harry, who served 10 years in the British Army, including two tours in Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot, is credited for his role in launching the Invictus Games, a multi-sport, Paralympic-styled games for wounded and injured veterans in 2014.

Tillman’s mother, Mary, publicly slammed ESPN’s decision while speaking to the Daily Mail last month.

I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award, she said. There are recipients that are far more fitting. There are individuals working in the veteran community that are doing tremendous things to assist veterans.

Former NFL punter and ESPN talk show host Pat McAfee, who has openly expressed his frustration with the network’s decisions multiple times since signing a lucrative contract in 2023, claimed that ESPN was trying to piss people off by having Prince Harry as the award winner.